Author, Nghi Vo, Visits Salem

By: Keri Matthews

Held in the Reading Room in Gramley Library, students and faculty were given the opportunity to meet esteemed author Nghi Vo. Coming to Salem on Sept. 26, Vo had the perfect chance to speak about the upcoming release of her new novel, A Mouthful of Dust, which was released on Oct. 7. Vo spoke not only about her current and previous works, but projects she’s looking forward to while giving insight into her life as a published author.

Vo created an exciting and inviting atmosphere throughout her book talk. She started out with reading a never-before-shared piece from her next upcoming novel coming out in 2026 titled The Scarlet Wall. Listening to her read her written work was fascinating, as she brought flow and intention behind the structure of each sentence. 

Caption: Vo reads aloud a never-before-heard excerpt from her upcoming novel, The Scarlet Wall. Photo Credit: Keri Matthews

Vo let the audience lead the main part of the session, where she would answer questions. She gave advice on topics such as how to make writing your profession, her process of working on a piece, and how to focus on one story at a time. The questioning session allowed the audience to connect with her on a personal level.

One message that Vo repeated throughout the whole session was not to be embarrassed to accept help and take chances. She also emphasized that while being an author is still a job and it can be very difficult, you can hold this knowledge while enjoying what you’re doing. Vo was very open about her experiences of becoming a published author and the difficulties that she faced. It was motivating to be able to see how perseverance and the value of being true to yourself can help you achieve your goals.